SC Directs FIA to Put Rao Anwar’s Name on ECL

Supreme Court on Tuesday summoned former SSP Malir, Rao, on January 27 in ‘personal capacity’.

The court has also directed to immediately place the name of the Anwar in Exit Control List (ECL) after he tried to flee the country from Benazir International Airport.

“Rao Anwar is not appearing before the JIT and is also trying to travel abroad. We are summoning him while issuing a notice,” remarked the Chief Justice.

The Supreme Court also ordered the JIT; probing the extrajudicial murder of Naqeebullah Mehsud, to appear before it on next hearing.

Chief also directed Sindh Inspector General to attend the hearing in personal capacity. The court has fixed the date for hearing of suo-moto notice in Karachi registry tomorrow.

Rao Anwar, the former senior superintendent of police Malir, was stopped from boarding a Dubai-bound flight at Islamabad’s Benazir Bhutto International Airport late on Monday night, according to Dawn. Anwar, however, has denied the reports.

“I did not try to go anywhere,” the senior police official told Dawn on Tuesday. “Yesterday, there was fake news about a raid at my house and today, media is saying that I have tried to leave the country, which is a false claim.”

Anwar is currently under investigation for his alleged involvement in the extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud.

According to the airport sources, Anwar tried to board Emirates Airline flight, EK615, last night but was stopped by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials at the immigration counter. He was told that he would not be allowed to board the plane as there is an ongoing investigation against him in Karachi, said the sources, adding that Anwar was kept from boarding the plane under Immigration Ordinance 506.

No attempt to arrest Anwar was reportedly made and he was allowed to leave the airport after being stopped from boarding the flight.

The committee investigating Anwar and other officials for the alleged extrajudicial killing had recommended that the men be barred from leaving the country. While a letter has been sent to the Interior Ministry to place their names on the Exit Control List, no notification has been issued as yet.

Naqeebullah’s family decided to lodge an FIR against the policemen responsible for the killing on Tuesday (today) under anti-terrorism law. The decision was made during a jirga attended by members of the Mehsud tribe in Karachi.